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AMERICAN OPERA CLASSICS

Stephen 2 CDs HARTKE The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de Suif Worra • De Haan • Abraham • Wentzel • Worth From left to right: John David De Haan as Loiseau, Caroline Worra as Boule de Suif, Jill Gardner as Mme. Loiseau, Thames • Byrne • Gardner • Alvarez • Burchett Liam Moran as Follenvie and Seth Keeton as Cornudet Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra • Robertson

All photographs: George Mott/ The cast of The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de Suif Glimmerglass Opera 8.669014-15 20 669014-15 bk Hartke US 17/4/07 19:26 Page 2

THE GREATER GOOD or THE PASSION OF BOULE DE SUIF Opera in Two Acts Music by Stephen Hartke Libretto by the composer from Philip Littell’s dramatic adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s short story, Boule de Suif Matthew Worth as the Coachman CAST (in order of vocal appearance)

M. Carré-Lamadon ...... Christopher Burchett, Baritone Count Bréville ...... Andrew Wentzel, Bass-baritone M. Loiseau ...... John David De Haan, Tenor Mme. Carré-Lamadon ...... Christine Abraham, Mezzo-soprano Countess Bréville ...... Elaine Alvarez, Soprano* Cornudet ...... Seth Keeton, Bass-baritone* Mme. Loiseau ...... Jill Gardner, Soprano* Coachman ...... Matthew Worth, Baritone* The Old Nun ...... Jeanine Thames, Soprano The Young Nun ...... Katherine Calcamuggio, Mezzo-soprano* Elisabeth Rousset, also known as Boule de Suif . . . . . Caroline Worra, Soprano A Prussian Officer ...... Christian Reinert, Tenor* Mme. Follenvie ...... Dorothy Byrne, Mezzo-soprano M. Follenvie ...... Liam Moran, Bass* Caroline Worra as Boule de Suif Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra Michael Levin, concertmaster Conducted by Stewart Robertson *Member of Glimmerglass Opera’s 2006 Young American Artists Program

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Glimmerglass Opera CD 1 74:05

Established in 1975, Glimmerglass Opera was founded through the efforts of residents of Cooperstown, New York, Act One musicians, artists, and lovers of the art form, to bring opera to their community. Its first season brought four staged performances of Puccini’s La Bohème to a local audience of 1,200 at Cooperstown High School. The company has since grown to international stature and now offers more than 40 performances of four operas in repertory during its 1 Scene 1: Rouen, a Tuesday in late February, 1871, 4 AM 3:20 eight-week season, attracting audiences of nearly 40,000 from around the world. The company’s Alice Busch Opera 2 “Count?” (Carré-Lamadon, Count, Loiseau) 1:53 Theater opened in 1987 and is located along the shores of Otsego Lake, the “Glimmerglass” of James Fenimore 3 “I know, I know, you never want to, girl” (Coachman) 1:13 Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales. Glimmerglass Opera established its acclaimed Young American Artists Program in 4 1988, giving young American singers the opportunity to work with some of the finest conductors, directors and “Cigar?” (Loiseau, Carré-Lamadon, Count, Coachman) 1:23 coaches in the country. The company has attracted directors and designers of the highest international reputation, 5 “A lonely street or an alley” (Loiseau, Carré-Lamadon, Count) 1:29 and its productions have been seen at numerous other companies, including New York City Opera, Boston Lyric 6 “Say, know why they call her Ice Cream?” (Coachman) 1:11 Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Cincinnati Opera and Houston Grand Opera. 7 “You can get in if you want” (Coachman) 0:53 8 Scene 2: Aboard the coach, starting out 1:07 9 “There was a boat” (Coachman) 1:55 0 “These really are wonderful” (The three wives) 2:01 ! Scene 3: Dawn “Darling, look!” (The wives and their husbands) 1:10 @ “Do you know Mme. de Vidoudet?” (The wives, later the nuns) 2:00 # “Very bad for business, war” (The husbands, later Cornudet) 2:32 $ Scene 4: 10 AM “What time d’you have?” (The husbands, Cornudet) 2:19 % “If I were a big bad wolf” (Loiseau) 1:23 ^ Inter-scene: Noon “See anything?” (M. & Mme. Carré-Lamadon) 0:56 & Scene 5: 3 PM “Oh my God!” (The husbands and wives, Cornudet) 3:07 * “I gotta hand it to you, girlie!” (Loiseau, Boule, Cornudet, the nuns) 2:00 ( “Gentlemen, pardon me” (Boule, later Loiseau and the Count) 2:04 ) “These are the tastes of …” (The wives, husbands, Cornudet) 1:28 ¡ “Tiny gherkins, pickled onions!” (The wives, husbands, Cornudet) 1:02 ™ “Men don’t understand” (The wives, Boule) 1:39 £ “You know how it was” (Boule) 2:30 ¢ “At first I thought I’d stay” (Boule) 2:41 ∞ “Someone helped me out” (Boule, later the wives and husbands) 1:02 § “It’s like that Badinguet” (Cornudet, Boule) 1:18 From left to right: Jill Gardner as Mme. Loiseau, ¶ “God it’s cold!” (The wives) 0:49 Christine Abraham as Mme. Carré-Lamadon and Elaine Alvarez as Countess Bréville • “Nothing but snow” (Coachman, later Boule and the others) 3:18 ª “I think I see lights!” (Boule, the wives and husbands) 1:26 º Scene 6: Arrival at Tôtes, 6 PM “Raus! Raus! Raus!” (Prussian Officer) 1:57

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⁄ “Come in, come in” (The Follenvies) 2:00 Liam Moran ¤ “Monsieur Follenvie!” (The Follenvies) 0:56 ‹ “Things are looking up!” (The husbands, Follenvie, Cornudet) 0:33 Bass Liam Moran has performed with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Glimmerglass Opera, › “Mademoiselle Elisabeth Rousset?” (Officer, Boule, later the Count) 3:28 San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Center, Florida Grand Opera, and Opera Omaha and will soon make his debuts at Wolf Trap and Pittsburgh Opera. He has performed several new ﬁ “Well, you see how things are” (Mme. Follenvie) 1:40 works and premieres, including pieces by Bennett, Penderecki, Weisgall, Baksa, Hartke, and ﬂ “It’s a funny thing waking up under occupation” (Mme. Follenvie) 2:57 Carlson. A native of Brookline, Massachusetts, he studied at McGill University’s Schulich ‡ “They’re pigs!” (Boule, Mme. Follenvie, the wives) 1:06 School of Music and the Yale School of Music. ° “An unprovoked attack is barbaric!” (Cornudet, Mme. Follenvie) 1:53 · Scene 7: In the Inn, 10 PM “What a collection!” (The Loiseaus) 1:26 ‚ “Our little Miss has to siss” (Loiseau) 0:56 a “Come to my room” (Cornudet, Boule) 2:32 b “Oh boy!” (Loiseau, later Mme. Loiseau) 1:34 Christian Reinert

Tenor Christian Reinert began his career with Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artist Program. CD 2 68:26 After being named a winner in Palm Beach Opera’s Vocal Competition, he joined Baltimore Opera’s young artist program. His roles include Rodolfo in La Bohème, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, ·teva in JenÛfa, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Lysander in A Midsummer Act Two Night’s Dream, and the title roles in Faust and Roméo et Juliette. He has performed with Baltimore Opera and Palm Beach Opera, as well as in Europe. 1 Scene 1: The Inn at Tôtes, Wednesday, 8 AM 1:03 2 “What the devil?” (The husbands, Cornudet) 0:38 3 “Yes?” (Coachman, the husbands) 1:17 4 “M. Follenvie! We demand an explanation!” (The husbands, Follenvie) 1:46 5 Scene 2: later Wednesday afternoon “I miss my cat” (Countess) 1:54 6 “This snow. This blasted snow” (Mme. Loiseau) 1:17 Katherine Calcamuggio 7 “Oh how I wish that I was in my house” (Mme. Carré-Lamadon) 2:38 Mezzo-soprano Katherine Calcamuggio has performed roles with Florida Grand Opera, 8 “Who is it?” (The wives, Carré-Lamadon, later the Count) 1:28 Chicago Opera Theater, Glimmerglass Opera, OperaModa, Springfield Regional Opera, 9 “Nein! Dunt vant! Dunt care!” (Loiseau, Mme. Loiseau) 1:07 Aspen Music Festival, and the Brevard Music Festival. A prize winner with Palm Beach 0 Scene 3: Wednesday, suppertime “Oh, look, how lovely” (All) 1:23 Opera and the Bel Canto competitions and a grand-prize winner of the Anna Sosenko Trust, she also performs a great deal of recital and oratorio work. An Ohio native, she ! “You tell that bastard” (Boule, later the others) 1:05 received a Bachelor of Music from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Music @ “What’s all this about?” (All) 1:26 from Northwestern University. # “Please, eat” (Mme. Follenvie) 1:32 $ Scene 4: Out in the village, Thursday morning “It’s so cold” (The wives) 0:46 % “I have an enormous shipment” (Loiseau, the Count, Carré-Lamadon) 1:05 ^ “Oh look! Isn’t that him?” (The wives, later Mme. Carré-Lamadon alone) 2:55

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Elaine Alvarez & “Oh, Boule de Suif!” (Coachman, Boule) 1:56 * “I hate this place” (Coachman) 1:13 Cuban-American soprano Elaine Alvarez made her European opera debut singing the roles ( Scene 5: The Inn, Friday morning “Going out?” (Mme. Carré-Lamadon, Boule) 1:52 of Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Mimì in La Bohème for Oper Leipzig in the 2006-2007 ) “I have a child” (Boule) 2:07 season. She has also traveled with Oper Leipzig to Hong Kong for a series of performances of Mozart’s Mass in c minor and will return to Leipzig for performances as Mimì in La ¡ “Let’s face it” (Mme. Loiseau) 2:10 Bohème, Corinna in Il viaggio a Reims, and Violetta in La traviata. During the 2006 summer ™ “Let’s just tie her up” (Loiseau, the Count) 1:40 season she was seen as Countess Bréville in the world premiere of Stephen Hartke’s The £ Scene 6: Friday, suppertime “Ah! Mme. Follenvie, we thank you” (The Count) 1:49 Greater Good and as Barena in Jonathan Miller’s production of JenÛfa at Glimmerglass ¢ “Now see if you remember” (The Count) 2:12 Opera. She was a finalist in Plácido Domingo’s Operalia 2006 competition held in Valencia, Spain. ∞ “I know, I know!” (The Countess, Count) 1:26 § “I’ve got one, and it’s a real corker!” (Loiseau) 5:02 ¶ “Well spoken, Loiseau” (The Count, later Mme. Loiseau) 0:53 • Christopher Burchett “Listen to me!” (Old Nun) 3:12 ª “Oh but they were angels to my boys” (Old Nun) 1:38 Baritone Christopher Burchett has performed with Glimmerglass Opera in JenÛfa, Patience, º “Yes, good sister” (Count, Follenvie) 0:27 and The Good Soldier Schweik. Other notable credits include Belcore in L’elisir d’amore and ⁄ “Child, you don’t know what to do, do you?” (The Count, Boule) 2:38 Masetto in Don Giovanni. He has performed with Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre, the Estates ¤ Scene 7: Saturday, suppertime “Have you seen her?” (The wives and husbands, the Follenvies) 1:17 National Theatre in Prague, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Opera Orchestra of New York, Opera Omaha, and New York City Opera. A Metropolitan Opera Regional Finalist, his ‹ “Is it a go?” (The husbands, Follenvie, the wives) 0:32 concert experience includes engagements with the Boulder Bach Festival, the New › “I think everything’s gonna be just fine” (Loiseau, the wives) 1:24 Hampshire Music Festival, the Bethlehem Bach Festival, and the Carmel Bach Festival. ﬁ “Good God! Forty minutes!” (The nuns, Count, later Loiseau) 1:15 ﬂ “This is infamous!” (Cornudet) 0:51 ‡ “Good Lord! An hour twenty!” (The husbands) 1:06 ° Scene 8: Courtyard of the Inn, Saturday morning 0:45 · “Good morning!” (Husbands and wives) 0:44 Seth Keeton ‚ “Let’s go!” (Coachman, Mme. Follenvie) 1:09 In addition to singing the role of Cornudet in the world premiere of Stephen Hartke’s The a “Good morning, madame” (Boule, later Mme. Loiseau) 0:49 Greater Good, bass-baritone Seth Keeton has appeared with Glimmerglass Opera in JenÛfa, b [Setting off for Dieppe] 0:56 Death in Venice, and Lucie de Lammermoor. Other opera credits include Colline in La c “Prime … bonds” (The Count, Carré-Lamadon, the nuns) 0:47 Bohème, Leporello in Don Giovanni, Pistola in Falstaff, and Crespel and Luther in Les d “Ubi caritas” (The nuns, M. & Mme. Loiseau) 0:41 contes d’Hoffmann. As a member of Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artist Program, he was seen on the mainstage in Tosca, Don Giovanni, Joseph Merrick: the Elephant Man, e “Good heavens! One o’clock!” (The Count, Loiseau, the wives) 1:07 Rigoletto, Lucrezia Borgia, Passion, Die Zauberflöte, Madama Butterfly, Maria Padilla, and f “Darling look!” (The Carré-Lamadons, Mme. Loiseau, Cornudet) 1:29 Carmen.

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Stephen Hartke (b. 1952) Jeanine Thames The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de Suif Soprano Jeanine Thames recently appeared in New York City, singing the role of Miss A commissioned opera: Glimmerglass Opera’s first indeed, subsequently, bemused Wal-Mart employees Wordsworth in Albert Herring with the Gotham Chamber Opera. During the same season since the Central Park trilogy in 1999. The first opera observed the composer checking out the Corelle® she sang the title role in La traviata with Ontario Opera and performed the role of the Old by a highly acclaimed American composer. A world dinnerware with a pitch pipe). And the goose liver pâté, Nun in Glimmerglass Opera’s world premiere of Stephen Hartke’s The Greater Good. Her premiere based on an iconic short story by smoked tongue, pickled onions in Boule’s crucial picnic concert engagements include Vaughan Williams’s Sea Symphony with the Norwalk Maupassant—a work in itself of engrossing drama and basket…performers eating while they sing? Much to Symphony, Haydn’s Creation with the Xalapa Symphony in Mexico, a concert of Mozart character, and therefore surely full of operatic potential. discuss. Snow...notations in the libretto and score arias with the Acadiana Symphony, and Orff’s Carmina Burana with the Monterey “Commission,” “world premiere”—words to engender seemed to call for snow (really a blizzard) falling Symphony. She has also toured to Tokyo and Osaka with the Prague State Opera, where she anxiety and anticipation, quickly followed by terror and throughout most of the first act. Two years prior, fifteen was heard as Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. exhilaration. Uncharted seas, perilous journeys, storms, minutes of snowfall during Fanciulla produced white sharks, treasure—clichés all, but perhaps still chaos backstage—the artificial stuff was everywhere. expressive. Endless questions, problems, delays, How would we control this? stumbling blocks, decisions, decisions reversed, Carriage and horses: Almost the whole first act Dorothy Byrne decisions postponed… takes place in the confines of a carriage. Stephen had Title: Boule de Suif (too hard to pronounce)? Ball of first suggested that the carriage be evoked just by some Mezzo-soprano Dorothy Byrne has appeared with Lyric Opera of Chicago as Mrs. MacLean Lard? Ball of Fat? Ball of Suet? Butterball? (Well…no.) piles of luggage acting as benches. In the end, director in Susannah, Mrs. Olsen in Street Scene, and Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette. She has For a long time the opera was called The Refugees (too David Schweizer, set designer Mark Wendland, and performed with Houston Grand Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric general? too bland?). Lists were created: Escape from lighting designer Christopher Akerlind came up with a Opera, Hawaii Opera Theater, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Chicago Opera Theater in Rouen (too specific)? Through Enemy Lines? Finally, it handsome, flexible, and arresting image of a coach that such roles as Larina in Eugene Onegin, Gertrude in Hamlet, Venus in Arianna, Cecilia became The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de rode proudly through the snowy landscape, turning this March in Little Women, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Katisha in The Mikado, Ma Moss in Suif. way or that, opening and closing to reveal (and The Tender Land, and Zita in Gianni Schicchi. Her Broadway credits include Parade and Casting: Lots of great character parts, some written sometimes conceal) the action within. A coachman The Phantom of the Opera. for specific voices and specific types, since casting was perched up high and a group of dedicated and precise being finalized while Stephen Hartke was at work on the “groomsmen” provided the horsepower. piece. This diversity gave costume designer David Zinn Opening night (July 22, 2006): But first...a reading a wonderful opportunity for a striking series of outfits— with Stephen at the piano, singing (eloquently) all the by turns elegant or, in the case of Boule, charmingly parts, music sent to singers, orchestra parts finished and Jill Gardner slutty—expressing a dramatic, modern take on copied, the cast assembled, first week of rehearsals, nineteenth-century silhouette and detail. But how to deal coachings, design presentations, costume fittings, Soprano Jill Gardner’s performances include Musetta in La Bohème with Florida Grand (tactfully) with the physical demands of the title role? In lighting rehearsals, the exhilarating “sitz” where most of Opera, Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld with Glimmerglass Opera, Hanna Glawari in the end, a brilliantly designed and constructed “fat suit” us heard the singers with the full orchestra for the first The Merry Widow with Syracuse Opera, Mimì in La Bohème with the Piedmont Opera transformed glamorous Caroline Worra into the time, dress rehearsals.... The journey that Stephen and Theatre, Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly, Violetta in La traviata, and the Countess in Le lusciously plump figure in Maupassant’s story. we at Glimmerglass had set out on was joined and nozze di Figaro. Her concert performances include Handel’s Messiah with the Syracuse Instrumental and vocal forces, props and special completed by the audience (and in a sense, truly Symphony Orchestra, Vaughan Williams’s Hodie with the Susquehanna Valley Chorale, effects: Some negotiation on instrumentation, and an completed by the CD recording). Finally, a sense of Verdi’s Requiem with the Hamilton College and Community Chorale, and Mozart’s Mass in early agreement on no chorus (words to strike joy into accomplishment, and delight in the result. c minor, as well as Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra. any production manager’s budget-driven heart). How to deal with the request for the (now famous) “tuned” soup John Conklin, Glimmerglass Opera bowls in Act I...finding props not only appropriate for Associate Artistic Director the period, but with specific pitch and timbre (and

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Christine Abraham Director’s Note resourceful singers. I had blinked and it had become the summer, and the piece had become opera theater. Mezzo-soprano Christine Abraham’s performances include the title role in David Carlson’s My unforgettable journey with The Greater Good began Somehow, with designers Mark Wendland, Christopher The Midnight Angel with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Glimmerglass Opera, and as it was being written, when I was enlisted by Stephen Akerlind, and David Zinn, a gorgeous dreamscape came Sacramento Opera, Dolly in the world premiere of David Carlson’s Anna Karenina with Hartke and Philip Littell to direct the world premiere at to life that actually allowed almost an entire act to be Florida Grand Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Ida in Die Fledermaus at the Glimmerglass. I was thrilled, but also curious. The sung from inside a stagecoach. Later, the prickly, Metropolitan Opera, Sesto in Giulio Cesare with Utah Opera, Maffio Orsini in Lucrezia Maupassant novella, Boule de Suif, would be tricky to spoiled characters in our story would struggle with both Borgia with Opera Boston, Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri with Arizona Opera, Stéphano in dramatize musically, to say the least. Reflective, the actual and existential conditions of their captivity Roméo et Juliette with the Spoleto Festival USA, the title role in La Cenerentola with Santa episodic, clinically critical of its many devious and while inhabiting a virtually bare stage, without the Barbara Grand Opera, and Minerva in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Boston Baroque. complex characters, this was writing of intense, confinement of walls, but with the luminously well…subtlety. Fearlessly, Philip lined out a stunning, expressive sense of locale and moment that inspired delicate, and stark initial libretto. Next Stephen dug in designers can conjure. and attacked his formidable task — musically to Stephen took enormous pleasure in the daily “characterize” this ensemble, often presented in rehearsal victories that a really gifted cast can have over Andrew Wentzel complex groupings but with very distinct individual even the terror of brand-new operatic material. And the attitudes — to sculpt musical worlds for events like the momentum of our discoveries seemed always to contain Bass-baritone Andrew Wentzel has appeared in numerous productions at the Metropolitan turbulent expedition of the first act, almost entirely sung the memory of those days and months when this Opera, including Roméo et Juliette, Billy Budd, Rigoletto, La fanciulla del West, Turandot, from within a stagecoach hurtling through a long composer first found his way. The same opera that Manon, and Les contes d’Hoffmann. Other credits include Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with winter’s night. welcomes chuckles at its greedy passengers on their New York City Opera and San Diego Opera, Mr. Flint in Billy Budd with Houston Grand Close proximity and collaboration with a talent like coach ride, builds to a shattering climax as the Opera, Collatinus in The Rape of Lucretia with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Don Alfonso Stephen’s as he grapples with his first full-length opera squeaking bedsprings that signal Boule’s humiliation in Così fan tutte with Glimmerglass Opera, Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Boston is its own startlingly illuminating experience — a give way to another final coach ride in which she is Lyric Opera, Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Knoxville Opera, and Olin Blitch in Susannah window into the moment-to-moment hesitations, shunned and sits quietly weeping. Our coach would with Opera Columbus, Nashville Opera, and Indiana Opera. reasonings, resolutions and triumphs of a major artist in open like a giant insect, and the entire cast would sit high-risk work mode nonstop for two years. Stephen is arrayed in judgment behind Caroline Worra, heart- off-handedly brilliant. He would benefit from speaking stopping as Boule. Ms. Worra is a performer whose about what he was doing and why he felt so strongly courage and talent are a gift to new work, but the cast about this phrase or that instrument used there and not lined up behind her were all superb, as you can hear on Matthew Worth there. I will never forget first hearing him play the this recording, alive in every moment, acute, vivid, haunted whisper of the opera’s opening when the precarious in the complexity of their feelings. Baritone Matthew Worth’s performances include Tarquinius in The Rape of Lucretia under passengers first arrive and wait to board the coach. Then I could confess that there were indeed daunting Lorin Maazel, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte at Tanglewood under James Levine, his debut at the horses are brought out, and voices join into the challenges in staging this piece, but they actually melted Chicago Opera Theater as Claudio in Béatrice et Bénédict, and Papageno in Die Zauberflöte cacophony of shivering — the inspired musical essence away in the face of this sublime level of musical story- with Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Other highlights include Shrike in the world premiere of of frozen loneliness. Or the joyous outburst of pleasure telling. Choices became inevitable, and right, because Liebermann’s Miss Lonelyhearts, Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, L’Horloge when Boule proffers her food on board the coach, and they served a true vision, a unique and riveting story Comtoise in L’Enfant et les sortilèges, and Siméon in L’Enfant prodigue for Juilliard Opera Stephen’s glorious paean to cheeses and pâté and bottles told — really TOLD—musically. How proud I am to Center, as well as his Carnegie Hall debut as soloist in Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem, of wine, at once deeply ironic and totally sincere, came have served here. soloist in Carmina Burana at Alice Tully Hall, and Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos. pouring out of him as he warbled the music to me at his keyboard in Glendale, California. David Schweizer Then, suddenly, I was actually staging the same sequence with a group of extraordinarily gifted and

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Conductor’s Note hitherto unguessed at. Similarly in Act II, when she Stewart Robertson describes her annual visit to her child, we see her My first contact with Stephen Hartke’s music was the ambivalent feelings echoed in the soft harp arpeggios Stewart Robertson is the Music Director and Principal Conductor of Florida Grand Opera, Music discovery some years ago of his fresh, bracing and the strange unresolved harmonies in the strings. Director of the Atlantic Classical Orchestra, Artistic Director of Opera Omaha, and Music Director orchestral work, Pacific Rim. Since then I nurtured the Musical characterization extends even to the coach, Emeritus of Glimmerglass Opera. He has directed such orchestras as the Netherlands Symphony notion that here was a composer who was equipped in with its dark, lurching, stuck-in-the-mud music. All the Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Orquesta Sinfónica both technique and imagination to make an original characters have their own musical personalities. From Nacional de México, the North German Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, and the Louisville contribution to the operatic repertory. The Greater Good time to time they combine into smaller groups. The Orchestra. Opera companies include New York City Opera, Opera Company of Philadelphia, the not only fulfilled those expectations, but far exceeded ladies’ trio at the outset is amusingly reminiscent of opera companies of Detroit and Montreal, the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf, the them in its sure-footed dramatic pacing, and its rich and popular ladies’ trios of the 1940s and 1950s, while the Norwegian National Opera, and the Puccini Festival in Torre del Lago. He has conducted many varied character portrayals. three gentlemen sing together briefly in a more terse world premieres, notably Orpheus Descending by Bruce Saylor at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Hartke’s use of the orchestra to paint pictures is style that is all about business interests. Food, however, Midnight Angel by David Carlson at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the Central Park trilogy by extraordinary. High isolated violin lines and is the one unifying theme and the sight, sound, and Deborah Drattell, Michael Torke, and Robert Beaser at Glimmerglass Opera, Federico II by Marco fragmentary “shivers” in divisi violas and cellos vividly smell of food provides the opportunity for several Tutino at the Jesi Opera Festival in Italy, Wakonda’s Dream by Anthony Davis at Opera Omaha and, recently, David depict the cold, desolate setting at the outset of the moments of lyrical ensemble singing of great beauty. Carlson’s Anna Karenina at Florida Grand Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. He has recorded Sir Richard Rodney opera. His invention of an instrument that he calls the The innkeeper’s wife, Madame Follenvie, while Bennett’s The Mines of Sulphur for Chandos, and the music of Alan Hovhaness with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra bowl tree (plastic mixing bowls loosely slung to a pole) serving soup to her guests, sings an aria accompanied by for Naxos. A graduate of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, he studied the piano in London with Denis Matthews, and which, when gently shaken, reproduces exactly the a bizarre gamelan type of music provided by the conducting with Otmar Suitner at the Salzburg Mozarteum and with Hans Swarowsky in Vienna. effect of horses’ hooves, is an example of his aural clanging of tuned soup bowls. Her husband, who is imagination. Toward the end of the opera the strings are chronically short of breath, has truncated lines Caroline Worra instructed to play regular rhythmic patterns on the punctuated by an orchestral “wheezing” of string “wrong side of the bridge” of their instruments. These harmonic arpeggios. The Old Nun, however, makes the Soprano Caroline Worra made her European debut at Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania, rhythms gradually increase in speed and vigor, leaving most dramatic and unexpected contribution in the form Sicily, singing the role of Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress. An alumna of us in no doubt as to the nature of the German officer’s of an aria that combines all the vocal pyrotechnics of a Glimmerglass Opera’s Young American Artists program, she has performed the roles of amatory adventures with Boule de Suif on an old bed in Zerbinetta and Queen of the Night rolled into one. Eurydice in Philip Glass’ Orphée, Mrs. Mueller, Katy Wendler and Madam Kakonyi in an adjoining room. Robert Kurka’s The Good Soldier Schweik, as well as Jenny in Sir Richard Rodney Bennett’s The composer astutely employs different techniques Stewart Robertson The Mines of Sulpher at Glimmerglass Opera. With New York City Opera, she has and subtle references to a variety of musical styles to performed a variety of roles, including Amy in Little Women, the Dew Fairy in Hansel and portray his characters in a variety of moods and Synopsis Gretel, and Handel’s Agrippina. Additionally, she has appeared as Curley’s Wife in Carlisle situations. The travelers in the coach, who at the outset Floyd’s Of Mice and Men with Lyric City Opera of Kansas City, Donna Anna in Don are cold and know each other only slightly, indulge in CD 1 Giovanni with Connecticut Grand Opera, Just Jeanette in the world premiere of Edwin fragmentary snatches of conversation. The ladies’ Penhorwood’s Too Many Sopranos, and in the title roles of The Merry discomfort is amusingly represented by a stammering Act One Widow with Opera Memphis and Semele with Long beach Opera. trio, and the general talk is mirrored in a sort of musical pointillism. Boule de Suif, when first we hear her, The story is set during the immediate aftermath of the John David De Haan shows herself to be generous, seemingly straightforward Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War. 1 At 4 and keen to share the food she has brought with her, all a.m. on a snowy Tuesday in late February 1871, a group In the past two decades John David De Haan has sung lyric and heroic tenor roles in leading of which is represented with near-minimalist simplicity of travelers assembles in the courtyard of the Hôtel de opera companies throughout North America and Europe. He can be heard on the Decca, in which the composer perhaps betrays some of his Normandie in Rouen, all eager to board a coach bound Sony, and Naxos record labels and continues to perform extensively in operas, concerts, and Californian heritage. However, when Boule describes for Dieppe, where most hope to find passage to England recitals. He recently sang the role of Caliban in Lee Hoiby’s The Tempest and is to be heard her previous encounters with the German army, her in order to escape the German occupation with their on a recording with Dave Brubeck. Having expanded his activities to teaching in 1995, he is music takes an angularity and harmonic complexity fortunes intact. With the exception of two nuns and a on the faculty of the University of Minnesota’s School of Music in Minneapolis.

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Stephen Hartke rather shabby political agitator named Cornudet, the de Suif – “She looks so good! Awhooo!” But the joke party is quite well-off: the Count and Countess Bréville, falls flat. ^ The day goes on. Everyone grows hungrier. Stephen Hartke has emerged as one of the leading American M. Carré-Lamadon (a cotton manufacturer) and his & At 3 p.m., Boule slides out the hamper she has composers of his generation, whose work has been hailed for wife, and M. Loiseau (a wine merchant) and his wife. 2 stowed under her skirts. Completely aghast, the others both its singularity of voice and the inclusive breadth of its At first, conversation is sparse, owing in part to the watch and comment as she takes out one tasty item of inspiration. Born in Orange, New Jersey, in 1952, he grew up surprise of encountering one another, as well as to the food after another. Their wonder turns to anger and in Manhattan, where he began his musical career as a bitter cold. 3 The Coachman comes out, leading a frustration, until Loiseau pushes himself forward * to professional boy chorister, performing with such organizations horse, and with barely suppressed irritation sets about break the ice. Very sweetly, Boule offers to share some as the New York Pro Musica, the New York Philharmonic, the hitching up his team. 4 The three wealthy gents take the of her food with him, then starts passing tidbits to the American Symphony Orchestra, and even two seasons as an opportunity to break out cigars, lament the fall of France nuns and Cornudet, while the refined ladies glare at her. understudy at the Metropolitan Opera. Following studies at and 5 gossip about the occupying Germans. 6 The But Mme. Carré-Lamadon suddenly faints from hunger, Yale, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Coachman finishes his preparations and calls for the ( prompting Boule to ask that she be allowed to share California at Santa Barbara, interrupted by stints as advertising travelers to board the coach. 7 At this moment, one with all the rest of them. ) With a sigh of relief, the manager for several major music publishers, he settled in the final traveler, a pretty, plump young woman, loaded whole group sings in praise of the pâté and pears, the Los Angeles area, where he is now Distinguished Professor of down with a large hamper, rushes to get aboard after cheese and ¡ the pickles. ™ In the glow of fellowship Composition at the Thornton School of Music at the everyone else. brought on by the food, the ladies beg Boule to tell what University of Southern California. happened to her during the war. £ Boule hesitates at Stephen Hartke’s output is extremely varied, from the 8 The great lumbering coach sets off, rumbling and first, but growing increasingly agitated ¢ she tells how medieval-inspired piano quartet, The King of the Sun, and skidding over ruts and icy puddles. The Coachman sings she nearly killed a Prussian officer who had been Wulfstan at the Millenium, an abstract liturgy for ten a little song to himself: 9 “There was a boat / That billetted on her home, and so ∞ she was forced to flee instruments, to the blues-inflected violin duo, Oh Them Rats Is could not sail.” The passengers having settled in, 0 the Rouen. The others are very impressed both by her Mean in My Kitchen, and the surreal trio, The Horse with the ladies coo over their new portable hand-warmers, the bravery and her patriotism. § But Cornudet challenges Lavender Eye. He has composed concerti for renowned nuns start in on their rosary, but shortly everyone is their royalist sentiments only to be shouted down by clarinetist Richard Stoltzman, and violinist Michelle napping in the darkness. ! As dawn comes, the face of Boule: “Long live the Emperor Napoleon!” A silence Makarski, and his collaboration with the internationally the plump young woman is lit by the first light of the falls. ¶ It is growing colder and darker. • The celebrated Hilliard Ensemble has produced three substantial sun. In agitation, Mme. Carré-Lamadon wakes her Coachman sings to himself while his passengers lament works, including his Symphony No. 3, commissioned by the husband, who recognizes the woman as “Boule de that the food is all gone now. The coach rolls on. New York Philharmonic. Other major commissions have Suif,” a well-known prostitute, celebrated both for her come from the National Symphony Orchestra, the Orpheus beauty and her ample girth. The others wake and are ª Suddenly, Boule and the ladies spot the lights of the Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln scandalized to find themselves in her company. But village of Tôtes. Soon they come to a halt in the Photograph by Bob Millard Center, the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the National Boule suddenly turns to stare them down, and they all courtyard of an inn. º A young Prussian officer appears Endowment for the Arts, the Koussevitzky Music Foundation, back off to take up other topics of conversation. @ The and brusquely orders them out of the coach, taking away the Barlow Foundation, and many others. He is also the winner of the Rome Prize, the Berlin Prize, and the ladies natter on about their mutual acquaintances, then their travel documents. ⁄ Mme. Follenvie, the prestigious Charles Ives Living, awarded by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Most of his music is # the gents discuss the financial gain to be made in innkeeper, and her asthmatic husband call for them to available on CD on Naxos American Classics, CRI, ECM New Series, EMI Classics, and New World Records. wartime, and lastly, Cornudet sings to himself of the come into the warmth of the inn’s kitchen. Once inside, revolution he hopes will come. ¤ drinks are served, dinner preparations are under way, The composition of The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de Suif was made possible through funding from the ‹ and things seem to be looking up. › But the Prussian Hanson Institute for American Music of the Eastman School of Music, Meet the Composer, OPERA America, and $ It is now 10 a.m.; the gents check their watches. officer returns to summon Boule to meet with his Glimmerglass Opera. Funding for the recording of The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de Suif was provided Loiseau complains to his wife that they should have Kommandant. Defiantly, Boule refuses, prompting the by the International Music and Art Foundation and the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. brought something to eat. He is starving! % Addressing Count to step in and persuade her to go, for the good of the others, he jokes about being the Big Bad Wolf who all. ﬁ The others sit down to dinner, where, to the would track down his Little Red Riding Hood – Boule accompaniment of spoons hitting soup plates, Mme.

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Follenvie regales them fl with her observations on the the snow, and 7 Mme. Carré-Lamadon dreams of being £ After dinner that evening, the Count proposes a round points to the ceiling from which the sound of creaking war and living under occupation. ‡ Boule storms back home again. 8 The men return in a state of dejection: of games and stories. One by one, stories are offered, bedsprings can now be heard. › “I think everything is into the room, clearly upset. The ladies ask what the the Kommandant won’t let the travelers go and won’t underscoring a single moral: women must sacrifice gonna be just fine,” he says. The others try to carry on matter is, but she just sits down and starts eating her explain why. 9 Loiseau tells his wife of the meeting, themselves for the greater good. First, ¢ the Count with their dinner in an attempt to cover their soup with a vengeance. Mme. Follenvie finishes her mocking the Kommandant’s German accent. 0 Their gives a twisted version of the Biblical tale of Judith and embarrassment. As the squeaking grows louder, the monologue, musing on the unfairness of war. gloom is dispelled briefly by Follenvie calling them all Holofernes. Then the Countess tries to tell the story of nuns start telling their rosary. fi Forty minutes pass. ° Cornudet offers a word about the moral necessity of to dinner, but once they gather at the table, Follenvie ∞ the rape of Lucrece, but is too flustered to get through Loiseau grabs his wife and waltzes her around the room self-defense, but Mme. Follenvie concludes: “If asks Boule if she “has changed her mind.” ! Her anger it properly. Loiseau seizes the floor with a completely in time to the bedsprings. He taunts Cornudet, who turns anybody’s going to die, shouldn’t it be all these kings mounting, Boule hisses at him, “You tell that Prussian fabricated episode § in which Hannibal’s army is on the group, fl angrily denouncing them all – who amuse themselves starting these things?” To cover son-of-a-bitch that I never will!” The others are slaughtered by the Romans after their wives have “Appalling! Shameful! Infamous!” – before storming the ensuing embarrassment, the Count feigns a yawn completely puzzled by this and beg Boule to explain. seduced all the Carthaginian’s men. ¶ The Count and out. ‡ The others laugh him off, while the gents offer and soon the whole party decides to retire. @ Finally, she unburdens herself: “I’ll tell you what he the other plotters applaud, when suddenly the Old Nun admiring comments about the Kommandant’s evident wants. He wants to sleep with me.” The others respond leaps angrily to her feet. • “Listen to me!” She staying power. Another forty minutes has passed and the · Now alone in their room, preparing for bed, the with sympathy and indignation over Boule’s preaches a sermon on duty, calling on her experience as party breaks up. Loiseaus laugh about their companions. He tucks his predicament. a nurse in wartime. ª She sings the praises of the camp- wife in, and then, hearing a noise in the corridor, ‚ he followers, saying, “I did what I could, but those women ° Early the next morning, the coach is ready to go at crouches down to peek through the keyhole. a He sees # The next day, Thursday, the three ladies and their did real good. They were angels to my boys!” º All are last. · The couples come out, gaily greeting each other. Cornudet accosting Boule, wanting her to come back to husbands go for a walk around the village. $ It is stunned into silence by this outburst. Follenvie ‚ Impatiently, the Coachman tries to hustle everyone his room. Boule repulses him, insisting that it would not bitterly cold, and the ladies are miserable. % The gents approaches Boule again with the Kommandant’s aboard. Mme. Follenvie comes out to distribute food be right because of all the Prussians in the house. are anxious about the business affairs they are being demand, but Boule bolts from the room and out into the packets for the trip. a By the time a bedraggled Boule Sensing that there is more to this explanation than she is forced to neglect. Just then the ladies spot the cold night. ⁄ The Count follows on Boule’s heels, appears, the packets are all gone. She says good letting on, Cornudet gives up and goes away. b Loiseau Kommandant a distance away. ^ They find themselves chasing after her in the shadows. He makes one last morning to the others, only to have them all turn their finds this all very titillating. He gets in bed and wakes quite impressed by his good looks, leading Mme. Carré- appeal to her vanity: “Just think, when that German boy backs on her. b All are aboard now. The coach departs. his wife with a kiss, asking, “Do you love me?” Lamadon to muse to herself: “If I had to, I would do it.” gets home he’ll be able to say, ‘I had the prettiest c The nuns chant a hymn; the men discuss money; The couples go back inside as Boule enters the inn’s woman in France!’” d the Loiseaus play cards. e Soon it’s time to eat and CD 2 courtyard. & The Coachman calls to her from his perch out come the packets, but no one offers anything to atop the coach. She goes to sit with him for a moment, ¤ Saturday evening’s meal finds everyone gathered Boule. Tears roll down her cheeks as they ignore her. Act Two sharing his flask. * “I hate this place,” he laments. together again, with the notable exception of Boule. f “See that? She’s crying ’cause she’s ashamed of Follenvie says that she is “indisposed.” ‹ In a flash, all herself,” says Mme. Loiseau. Cornudet taunts them with 1 The following morning is bright and sunny. With ( Friday morning finds the three married couples realize that their deliverance may be at hand. Loiseau, a few whistled bars of the Marseillaise. The light fades. great excitement, the entire party of travelers gathers in gathered in the kitchen, gloomily playing cards. calling for champagne, suddenly stops himself and the courtyard, ready to get underway. 2 They quickly Outside, a church bell rings. Boule comes in, dressed to see that the horses haven’t been hitched. When the go out. She explains that she’s going to the church to see Coachman strolls sleepily in, they rush at him. 3 He a baptism, even though she doesn’t know the family. explains that he had orders not to prepare the coach, Coaxed by Mme. Carré-Lamadon, ) Boule tells her adding, “Ask the Kommandant. He gives the orders about the child she has had to give into foster care. Once around here, seems to me.” 4 The gents then beset she leaves the room, ¡ Mme. Loiseau completely loses Follenvie, who leads them off to meet with him. her temper: “Who the hell does she think she is? Isn’t it her job to be a whore?” ™ Loiseau suggests that they 5 It is now later that afternoon. The three ladies are “just tie her up and hand her over,” but the Count each in their respective rooms, waiting for their intervenes: “No. She must be persuaded.” A plot is husbands to return, and yield in turn to their reveries: the hatched. Countess misses her cat, 6 Mme. Loiseau complains of 8.669014-15 10 11 8.669014-15 669014-15 bk Hartke US 17/4/07 19:26 Page 10

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Glimmerglass Opera CD 1 74:05

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AMERICAN OPERA CLASSICS

All photographs: George Mott/ The cast of The Greater Good or The Passion of Boule de Suif Glimmerglass Opera 8.669014-15 20 CMYK NAXOS Playing Stephen Time: HARTKE 2:22:31 (b. 1952)

broadcasting and copying of this compact disc prohibited. translations reserved. Unauthorised public performance, All rights in this sound recording, artwork, texts and The Greater Good &

8.669014-15 Opera in Two Acts MERICAN PERA LASSICS

A O C

2007 Naxos Rights International Ltd. • Made in Canada Text by the composer from Philip Littell’s dramatic adaptation of Guy de Maupassant’s short story, Boule de Suif Stephen Hartke’s The Greater Good was commissioned by Glimmerglass Opera,

Elisabeth Rousset, also known HARTKE: as Boule de Suif ...... Caroline Worra and is a strikingly original contribution M. Loiseau ...... John David De Haan to the operatic repertory. Based on an Mme. Carré-Lamadon ...... Christine Abraham iconic short story by Maupassant set Count Bréville ...... Andrew Wentzel during the immediate aftermath of the Coachman ...... Matthew Worth Franco-Prussian War, The Greater The Old Nun ...... Jeanine Thames Good is notable for its sure-footed Mme. Follenvie ...... Dorothy Byrne Good The Greater Mme. Loiseau ...... Jill Gardner dramatic pacing and astute use of Countess Bréville ...... Elaine Alvarez different techniques and subtle M. Carré-Lamadon ...... Christopher Burchett references to a variety of musical styles Glimmerglass Opera Orchestra in order to portray the characters in a Stewart Robertson variety of moods and situations. This is The Greater Good the opera’s world premiere recording. CD 1 74:05 CD 2 68:26 1 b 1 f The composition of The Greater Good or The - Act One - Act Two Passion of Boule de Suif was made possible A full track and cast list can be found through funding from the Hanson Institute on pages 2 to 4 of the booklet. for American Music of the Eastman School WORLD PREMIERE of Music, Meet the Composer, OPERA RECORDING The English libretto can be found at America, and Glimmerglass Opera. Funding HARTKE: HARTKE: www.naxos.com/libretti/669014.htm. for the recording of The Greater Good or The DDD Recorded at Alice Busch Opera Theater, Cooperstown, New Passion of Boule de Suif was provided by the York, USA, on 30th July and 3rd, 12th and 15th August, 2006 International Music and Art Foundation and the Aaron Copland Fund for Music. Producer: Blanton Alspaugh • Balance Engineer: Dirk Sobotka 8.669014-15 Recording Engineers: Mark Donahue and John Newton Mastering Engineer: Mark Donahue www.naxos.com 8.669014-15 Booklet notes: John Conklin, Stewart Robertson and David Schweizer • Published by ELR Music Publishing, Inc. (BMI), 21C Media Group, Inc., sole agent.

NAXOS Cover photograph: Glimmerglass Opera/George Mott